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Come prepared: CEP to host job fair

For some, the phrase “job fair” may bring to mind chaos, with mass numbers of people quickly shaking hands with employers, not really having time to leave an impression on anyone.

Not so with the Detroit Lakes Job Fair on April 3 hosted by Rural Minnesota CEP.

While the hallway may look chaotic, CEP’s Kristina Seifert said the actual interviews with potential employers are much different. Applicants narrow down the list of employers to a handful they want to visit with, and then are led in one at a time to sit down with the employers and talk one-on-one.

“This is our biggest turnout for employers,” Seifert said, indicating the need for workers in the area. “We have three floors and we’re using every square inch.”

The employers, she added, have multiple openings, not just one or two.

Jobs ranging from entry level to professional with education needed, the job fair is an opportunity for people to dress up, bring their resume and make their best first impression. Seifert said it could lead to second interviews at the business, or even job offers at the fair.

She said the job fair is much more personable than just turning in an application because you get to meet face to face, and you’re not just another sheet of paper.

She said they have gotten good feedback in the past with their job fairs and this one should be even bigger with the increase in employers. The industries range from lodging and hospitality to manufacturing, National Guard to food service, healthcare to retail and more.

If you’re not certain what to bring to the job fair, Rural MN CEP also offers multiple free prep sessions. They are March 31 at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., April 1 at 1 p.m. and April 2 at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The job fair is April 3 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Rural MN CEP WorkForce Center, 803 Roosevelt Ave. Come dressed to interview, with your resume in hand. If you don’t have a resume, Rural MN CEP has forms you can fill out.